The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a temperature sensor system, and in particular, relates to a technique for suppressing an increase in the number of voltage comparators with an expansion in the chip temperature detection range of a temperature sensor.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-289795 (Patent Document 1) describes a semiconductor integrated circuit that incorporates functional modules of large operating current and a temperature detection circuit for detecting a chip temperature and is capable of external temperature control or temperature monitoring less affected by system board noise.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-6473 (Patent Document 2) describes a semiconductor integrated circuit having a functional circuit on a semiconductor substrate, a temperature detecting element for detecting the temperature of the functional circuit, and a control circuit for controlling the temperature of the functional circuit.
When the temperature of the functional circuit is lower than the minimum operating temperature of the function, the control circuit performs control so as to operate part or all of the functional circuit to increase the temperature of the functional circuit and inhibit external output of the functional circuit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8(1996)-55963 (Patent Document 3) describes an integrated circuit in which temperature data detected by a temperature sensor is sent to a clock/peripheral control circuit, and the clock/peripheral control circuit compares the temperature data with the upper and lower limits of an operating temperature range held in a temperature setting circuit, and decrease a clock frequency and stops a cache operation if the temperature is out of the range.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-152311 (Patent Document 4) describes a semiconductor integrated circuit system in which a source voltage determination circuit estimates performance with the worst operating condition from a temperature measured by a temperature sensor, and determines a new source voltage of a semiconductor integrated circuit based on a conversion table.